Half shelf



Jan. 12, 1943. a HARBIsbN 2,308,330,

HALF SHELF 7 Filed May 5, I 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. I. ,0

Y lhvenbbr; George C. l -larbison His Attorney.

Jan. 12, 1943.

G. 6:. HARBISON 2,308,330 HALF $HELF Filed May 5, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ITWVEhtOT;

Georg e C.'Harfbiso1 PMs/Attorney Patented Jan. 12, 1943 s'r'rss '3 FFICE T E I" HALF SHELF York Application May 5, 1941, Serial No. 391,828

5 Claims. (Cl. 211153) My invention relates to refrigerator cabinets and the like, and more particularly to food supporting devices especially adapted. for use in domestic refrigerators.

The objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following descrip tion proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a partial front elevational view of a refrigerator cabinet of the domestic type equipped with a shelf embodying the principles of my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of a portion of the shelf shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of my invention; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating details of the arrangement of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a portion of a refrigerator cabinet i having suitable heat insulated walls defining a refrigerated storage compartment ll adapted to be cooled by an evaporator or cooling element 12 shown in the upper portion of the food storage compartment. The access opening it to the storage compartment is closed by a suitable heat insulated door (not shown).

In the drawings there is illustrated a shelf l4 disposed in the upper portion of the food storage compartment between the side wall of the refrigerator and the cooling element. The particular shelf illustrated in the drawings comprises a marginal frame portion l5 and a plurality of longitudinally extending wires or bars l6 defining an article supporting surface or portion, the ends of the longitudinal members It being suitably secured to the front and rear portions of the frame l5, as by welding.

The shelf 14 is designed to be supported in one of a plurality of vertically spaced apart positions. In the illustrative form of -my invention the shelf M is supportable in one of two positions. I have illustrated a pair of supporting devices at the rear portion of the shelf for supporting engagement with supporting members or elements as studs II, for example, the studs being suitably supported on the rear wall of the food storage compartment. I have provided a pair of upwardly extending members l8 and I 9 suitably secured as by welding for example, to the rear portion of the shelf frame. The upwardly exany suitable manner. For example, the supporting members may be relatively flat, plate-like members provided with suitable apertures 20 and 25, respectively, for engagement with the studs II in the lower position of the shelf. Other forms of supporting members may be substituted, however. For example, the upwardly extending members 58 and i9 may take the form of upwardly extending wire loops suitably secured as by soldering or welding to the shelf.

In order to support the rear portion of the shelf in the upper of the two selective positions, I have provided a downwardly extending member 22 of the same type as the upwardly extending members I8 and l9. The member 22 is also provided with an aperture for engagement with one of the supporting members or studs H. In the illustrative form of my invention the supporting member 22 is integral with the supporting member IS, the composite supporting member being formed by providing a plate-like member with two spaced apart apertures, the central portion of the member being fixedly secured to the rear frame portion of the shelf. It will be understood, however, that the upwardly and downwardly extending members may be secured in any desired position. The left rear portion of the shelf will rest on the left hand stud in the upper shelf position. The particular arrangement illustrated is convenient because only two supporting elements or members, suchv as the studs ii, are required for supporting the rear portion of the shelf.

I have provided means for supporting the front portion of the shelf. This means is illustrated in the drawings as being carried by the evaporator or cooling element. However, the supporting means may be disposed within the food storage compartment in any desired position as from a side wall for example. I have provided a hanger 23 suitably secured to the side wall of the evaporator H? as by means of a threaded fastening member or screw 25 extending through a suitable opening in the evaporator wall into threaded engagement with a suitably tapped bore in the hanger or supporting member 23. The hanger is provided with a, pair of spaced apart legs 25 and 26, the position of the legs corresponding with the vertical position provided at the rear portion of the shelf. The legs or portions 25 and 26 are disposed in the form of laterally extending and then upwardly extending portions thereby providing hook-like portions for engagement with a laterally extending memtending members I8 and i9 may be formed in ber 21 suitably secured as by welding for example,

to the frame l5 of the shelf. The supporting portion, or member 27, is in the form of an inverted L and is provided with a suitable opening or aperture 28 for receiving the upwardly extending portion of one of the hanger legs.

It will be seen that in the upper position of the shelf illustrated in Fig. 1, the shelf rests at the rear on the studs l'l extending outwardly from the rear wall of the food storage compartment, the loop 22 engaging one of the studs. The front edge of the shelf is supported from the cooling element by means of the laterally extending portion 21 and the upper hook-shaped portion or leg 25 of the hanger or support 23. In the lower position of the shelf, the upwardly extending loops or members [8 and I9 engage the studs I1, and end portion 21 of the shelf engages the hook-shaped portion 26 of the adjacently disposed support 23.

I have provided releasable means for maintaining the shelf in position at all times, thereby preventing accidental blows from dislodging the shelf. In the form of my invention illustrated in the drawings this means takes the form of a relatively elongated resilient member or spring 29 suitably secured at one end thereof to the side portion of the frame I5 and projecting under the leg 25 or 26 depending upon the position of the shelf. It will be seen that the front portion of the member 29 effectively prevents the shelf from being raised sufficiently to be free of the upwardly extending portion of the leg engaging the shelf. In order to release or remove the shelf from its supported position the resilient member is moved sufficiently to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, to permit the support 2'! to pass upwardly out of engagement with the supporting leg. Thus, I have provided means which is normally disposed to prevent removal of the shelf and which may be moved to position permitting either removal from or application to the adjacent supporting means. The means for preventing accidental dislodgment of the shelf It may be applied to a shelf or supporting device which is not positionable in a plurality of vertical positions, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. In these figures there is shown a different embodiment of the shelf retaining means shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The supporting means 23a comprises a pair of vertically spaced-apart laterally extending flanges 21a and 21b. The upper flange is apertured as indicated by the numeral 28a. The lower flange is arranged to be disposed on the underside of the hook-like portion 25a of the supporting member 23a in the shelf engaging position. In this form of my invention the shelf will be applied to or removed from its supporting members by tilting or rotating the shelf about the hooklike portion 25a a sufficient distance to permit the lower flange 27a to move past the hook-like portion 25a. Of course, in the arrangement in which the shelf will be disposed but in one position, only one hook-engaging portion will be necessary. As best seen in Fig. 3, one near corner of the shelf is supported on a stud I? and the other rear corner is carried from a second stud H by means of a supporting member or loop i9, suitably secured to the shelf i4.

Modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, while I have shown a particular embodiment of my invention I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A removable shelf comprising a marginal frame portion and an article supporting portion, means for supporting said shelf, said supporting means including a laterally extending element carried by said shelf, said element having an aperture therethrough, supporting means adjacent said shelf and having a lateral portion and an upwardly directed portion, said upwardly directed portion extending into said aperture, said laterally extending element resting on the lateral portion of said supporting means, and means normally preventing vertical upward movement of said shelf including a member mounted on said shelf and extending under said lateral portion when said shelf is in the article-supporting position.

2. A removable shelf comprising marginal frame portions and an article supporting portion, a plurality of supporting members adjacent the rear portion of said shelf, the rear portion of said frame being provided with a pair of upwardly extending horizontally spaced apart members for engaging at least two of said supporting members in the lower position of said shelf, and a downwardly extending member for engaging one of said supporting members in the upper position of said shelf, means for supporting the front portion of said shelf in a plurality of positions corresponding to the two aforementioned positions, said last mentioned means comprising a supporting member adjacent said shelf and having a plurality of vertically spaced apart shelf engaging portions.

3. A removable shelf comprising a marginal frame portion and an article supporting portion, means for supporting the rear portion of said shelf in a plurality of vertically spaced apart positions, said means comprising a plurality of supporting members adjacent the rear portion of said shelf, said rear frame portion having a pair of upwardly extending members for engaging at least two of said supporting members in the lower position of said shelf and a downwardly extending member for engaging with one of said supporting members in the upper position of said shelf, and means for supporting the front portion of said shelf in a plurality of positions corresponding to the first mentioned positions, means comprising a laterally extending element carried by said shelf, said element having an aperture therethrough, and a supporting member adjacent said shelf and having a plurality of hook-like portions extending laterally thereof for engagement with said aperture.

4. A removable shelf comprising a marginal frame portion and an article supporting portion, means for supporting the rear portion of said shelf in a plurality of vertically spaced apart positions, said means comprising a plurality of supporting members adjacent the rear portion of said shelf, said rear frame portion having a pair of upwardly extending members for engaging at least two of said supporting members in the lower position of said shelf and a downwardly extending member for engaging with one of said supporting members in the upper position of said shelf, and means for supporting the front portion of said shelf in a plurality of positions corresponding to the first mentioned positions, means comprising a laterally extending element carried by said shelf, said element having an member having a. lateral portion extending under said extension, and an upwardly directed portion extending into said aperture, means for retaining normally said extension against vertical movement with respect to said supporting member, said last-mentioned means comprising a resilient member carried by said frame portion and normally disposed below said lateral portion but arranged to be moved to a position permitting said shelf to be removed from or placed in the article supporting position, and means for normally retaining said shelf against outward movement.

GEORGE C. HARRISON. 

